Q. With reference to traditional Indian sports, consider the following statements:
1.Mallakhamb is an ancient aerial gymnastic and martial art form performed on a vertical wooden pole or a hanging rope.
2.The earliest recorded literary description of this sport is found within the 12th-century text Manasollasa, authored by King Someshvara III.
3.Mallakhamb was officially recognized as an Olympic medal event during the recent Berlin Games.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

[A] 1 and 2 only

[B] 2 and 3 only

[C] 1 and 3 only

[D] 1, 2 and 3

Answer: A
Notes:

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is correct: Mallakhamb involves athletes performing high-intensity core balancing acts, yoga postures, and wrestling maneuvers on a vertical pole (usually Sheesham wood) or a suspended rope.
  • Statement 2 is correct: While archaeological evidence pushes its roots further back, the definitive, oldest surviving written record detailing Mallakhamb appears in the Chalukyan encyclopedia Manasollasa (1129 CE).
  • Statement 3 is incorrect: Mallakhamb was only featured as a demonstration sport at the Berlin Olympics in 1936 to showcase India’s traditional culture, but it was never included as an official competitive Olympic medal event.
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